I made the best of my time in HermitVille

In March of 2020 the world stopped turning. In March of 2021 I found myself emerging from HermitVille.

Over the past year, I made the best of my time in HermitVille. Feeling rested and inspired I was ready to emerge from my cocoon. It was time to spread my arms and breath in the outer environment.  

One day I pulled a card randomly from the Vibrational Energy Oracle Cards by Debbie Anderson.   

The card I pulled had an image of a humanoid Butterfly.  

The name was Mythical Changeling.  

The write-up is what stopped me. 

“Being different is not a bad thing, so stop trying to fit into the rules set out by others. Stop trying to fit in to the pigeonholes that you feel society has defined for you. You are and will transform like the larva of a moth into a liberated butterfly. Accept this new and exciting vibration as you transform and morph into the changeling you have always been.” 

Well how cool is that? 

All right then – if I were to return to the world, what was I inspired to do when I got there? I knew it had to be something I enjoy and at the same time contribute in a positive way. How could I make a difference? What are my skills? 

Returning to My World 

Returning to my passion of building community made the most sense. 

There are two elements that are key to every community: Local Business and Local Not-For-profit organizations. 

A vibrant business district combined with a variety of strong, local NPO’s that support arts and culture and social challenges have been my focus in the past. After spending my life traveling across those two paths, I have skills and knowledge that rise from that experience.  

Working with organizations and communities I can share insights and facilitate conversations that inspire growth. Assisting organizations in their quest for a strong and vibrant community. This can be guiding the practical elements of organizational infrastructure – governance, board management, setting direction. Or consulting on public space management with Placemaking professionals such as Business Improvement Associations, creating safe and active places for people to enjoy.  

With a desire to contribute, I am grateful that I gained and retained (most of) my experiential knowledge. 

Remember the first time someone told you to turn the computer off and back on again to fix a problem? 

Turns out rebooting applies to humans as well. Now it is time to reboot my business. As Arnie would say “I’m baaaack!” Sorry, could not resist.  

Pandemic Recovery – Time to Emerge

The pandemic pushed our comfort zone with technology forward by at least 5 years – in an instant! Having the tools, the will, and skills, supplies us with options.  

Resumption of in person meetings will be welcomed by many and a superior venue for certain meetings. On the other hand, virtual gatherings will always have their place. An option that saves time, money, and stress, potentially having better participation than in person sessions. There is a spot in the toolkit for both. Certainly, I am happy to do either.  

Part of building community is to support independent businesses that live in downtowns. I believe this. These independent businesses build community. They also support other contributing organizations – the non-profits that lend a hand up in society, arts, culture, social and more. 

So here I am. 

Back to the world that I know. Thanks for the visit HermitVille, but I am ready to move on. 

~GP